Use of active substance combinations having insecticidal properties for controlling animal pests from the stink bug family

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to the use of active substance combinations which consist firstly of known cyclic ketoenols and secondly of further known insecticidal active substances, for controlling animal pests from the stink bug family (Pentatomidae).

The present invention relates to the use of active substancecombinations which consist firstly of known cyclic ketoenols andsecondly of further known insecticidal active substances, forcontrolling animal pests from the stink bug family (Pentatomidae).

It is already known that certain cyclic ketoenols have herbicidal,insecticidal and acaricidal properties. While the activity of thesesubstances is good, it leaves something to be desired in some cases atlow application rates.

It is known that 1H-3-arylpyrrolidine-2,4-dione derivatives (WO98/05638) and their cis isomers (WO 04/007448) have insecticidal and/oracaricidal activity.

Also known are mixtures of compounds from WO 98/05638 with otherinsecticides and/or acaricides: WO 01/89300, WO 02/00025, WO 02/05648,WO 02/17715, WO 02/19824, WO 02/30199, WO 02/37963, WO 05/004603, WO05/053405, WO 06/089665, DE-A-10342673 and WO 2008/006516. However, theactivity of these mixtures is not always satisfactory.

The activity against plant bugs (family: Miridae) (WO 2007/131681) isalso known.

It has now been found that active substance combinations comprisingcompounds of the formulae (I-1) or (I-2)

both compounds being known from WO 04/007448,

and at least one acetylcholine receptor agonist or antagonist,

in particular a compound of the following formulae:

imidacloprid (A1), disclosed in EP-A-00192060

and/or

acetamiprid (A2), disclosed in WO 91/04965

and/or

thiamethoxam (A3), disclosed in EP-A-00580553

and/or

nitenpyram (A4), disclosed in EP-A-00302389

and/or

thiacloprid (A5), disclosed in EP-A-00235725

and/or

dinotefuran (A6), disclosed in EP-A-00649845

and/or

clothianidin (A7), disclosed in EP-A-00376279

and/or

imidaclothiz (A8), disclosed in EP A 00192060

are particularly well suited for controlling insects from the stink bugfamily (Pentatomidae) in crops such as soybeans, cotton, maize, rice andcereals.

Surprisingly, the insecticidal activity of the active substancecombinations according to the invention against stink bugs from thePentatomidae family is considerably higher than the sum of theactivities of the individual active substances. A true synergisticeffect which could not have been predicted exists, not simply acomplementation of action.

Preferred active substance combinations are those comprising thecompounds of the formula (I-1) and at least one active substance fromthe group of the acetylcholine receptor agonists or antagonists.

Also preferred active substance combinations are those comprising thecompound of the formula (I-2) and at least one active substance from thegroup of the acetylcholine receptor agonists or antagonists.

The following combinations are of particular interest: (I-1)+(A1),(I-1)+(A2), (I-1)+(A3), (I-1)+(A4), (I-1)+(A5), (I-1)+(A6), (I-1)+(A7),(I-1)+(A8), (I-2)+(A1), (I-2)+(A2), (I-2)+(A3), (I-2)+(A4), (I-2)+(A5),(I-2)+(A6), (I-2)+(A7), (I-2)+(A8).

Moreover, the active substance combinations may also comprise furtherfungicidally, acaricidally or insecticidally active admixturecomponents.

The improved activity is particularly obvious when the active substancesare present in certain weight ratios in the active substancecombinations according to the invention. However, the weight ratios ofthe active substances in the active substance combinations may be variedwithin a relatively wide range. In general, the combinations accordingto the invention comprise active substances of the formula (I-1) or(I-2) and the mixing partner in the preferred and especially preferredmixing ratios which are detailed in the table hereinbelow:

-   -   the mixing ratios are based on weight ratios. The ratio should        be interpreted as active substance of the formula (I-1):mixing        partner or formula (I-2):mixing partner

Very especially Preferred mixing Especially preferred preferred Mixingpartner ratio mixing ratio mixing ratio Imidacloprid 25:1 to 1:25 5:1 to1:5 3:1 to 1:3 Acetamiprid 25:1 to 1:25 5:1 to 1:5 3:1 to 1:3Thiamethoxam 25:1 to 1:25 5:1 to 1:5 3:1 to 1:3 Nitenpyram 25:1 to 1:255:1 to 1:5 3:1 to 1:3 Thiacloprid 25:1 to 1:25 5:1 to 1:5 3:1 to 1:3Dinotefuran 25:1 to 1:25 5:1 to 1:5 3:1 to 1:3 Clothianidin 25:1 to 1:255:1 to 1:5 3:1 to 1:3 Imidaclothiz 25:1 to 1:25 5:1 to 1:5 3:1 to 1:3

The active substance combinations are well tolerated by plants, havefavorable toxicity to warm-blooded species and are suitable forcontrolling stink bugs (family Pentatomidae) in soybeans, maize, rice,cereals (wheat, barley, rye, oats, triticale) and cotton.

The control of stink bugs (Pentatomidae) in soybeans is especiallypreferred.

The following are preferred from the stink bug family (Pentatomidae):Antestiopsis spp., Dichelops spp., Eurygaster spp., Euschistus spp.,Nezara spp., Oebalus spp., Piezodorus spp. and Scothinophora spp. incrops such as, for example, cereals, rice, maize, cotton and soybeans.

According to the invention, all plants and plant parts may be treated.In the present context, plants are understood as meaning all plants andplant populations, such as desired and undesired wild plants or cropplants (including naturally occurring crop plants). Crop plants may beplants which can be obtained by traditional breeding and optimizationmethods or by biotechnological and recombinant methods or bycombinations of these methods, including the transgenic plants andincluding the plant varieties capable or not of being protected by PlantBreeders' Rights. Plant parts are to be understood as meaning all aerialand below-ground parts or organs of the plants, such as shoot, leaf,flower and root, with leaves, needles, stalks, stems, flowers, fruitingbodies, fruits and seeds, and roots, tubers and rhizomes being mentionedby way of example. The plant parts also include harvested material andvegetative and generative propagation material, for example cuttings,tubers, rhizomes, slips and seeds.

The treatment according to the invention of the plants and plant partswith the active substance combination is carried out directly or byacting on their environment, habitat or store by the customary treatmentmethods, for example by immersing, spraying, vaporizing, misting,dusting, painting on, injecting and, in the case of propagationmaterial, in particular seeds, furthermore by coating with one or morecoatings.

As has already been mentioned above, all plants and their parts may betreated in accordance with the invention. In a preferred embodiment,plant species and plant varieties, and their parts, which are found inthe wild or which are obtained by traditional biological breedingmethods such as hybridization or protoplast fusion, are treated. In afurther preferred embodiment, transgenic plants and plant varieties, andtheir parts, which have been obtained by recombinant methods, ifappropriate in combination with traditional methods (geneticallymodified organisms), are treated. The terms “parts” and “parts ofplants” or “plant parts” have been detailed above.

It is especially preferred to treat, in accordance with the invention,plants of the plant varieties which are in each case commerciallyavailable or in use. Plant varieties are understood as meaning plantswith new properties (“traits”) which have been obtained by conventionalcultivation, by mutagenesis or else by recombinant DNA techniques. Thesemay be cultivars, biotypes or genotypes.

Depending on the plant species or plant varieties, their location andgrowth conditions (soils, climate, vegetation period, nutrition), thetreatment according to the invention may also result in superadditive(“synergistic”) effects. Thus, for example, reduced application ratesand/or widenings of the activity spectrum and/or an increase in theactivity of the substances and compositions that can be used accordingto the invention, better plant growth, increased tolerance to high orlow temperatures, increased tolerance to drought or to water or soilsalinity, increased flowering performance, easier harvesting,accelerated maturation, higher yields, better quality and/or a highernutritional value of the harvested products, better storage stabilityand/or processability of the harvested products which exceed the effectswhich were actually to be expected are possible.

The preferred transgenic plants or plant varieties (i.e. those obtainedby genetic engineering) which are to be treated according to theinvention include all plants which, by recombinant modification,received genetic material which imparted particularly advantageoususeful properties (“traits”) to these plants. Examples of suchproperties are better plant growth, increased tolerance to high or lowtemperatures, increased tolerance to drought or to water or soilsalinity, increased flowering performance, easier harvesting,accelerated maturation, higher yields, better quality and/or a highernutritional value of the harvested products, better storage stabilityand/or processability of the harvested products. Further andparticularly emphasized examples of such properties are a better defenseof the plants against animal and microbial pests, such as againstinsects, mites, phytopathogenic fungi, bacteria and/or viruses, and alsoincreased tolerance of the plants to certain herbicidal activesubstances. Examples of transgenic plants which may be mentioned are theimportant crop plants, such as cereals (wheat, rice), maize, soybeans,potatoes, cotton, tobacco, oilseed rape and also fruit plants (with thefruits apples, pears, citrus fruits and grapes), and particular emphasisis given to maize, soybeans, potatoes, cotton, tobacco and oilseed rape.Traits that are emphasized in particular are the increased defense ofthe plants against insects, arachnids, nematodes, slugs and snails asthe result of toxins formed in the plants, in particular those formed inthe plants by the genetic material from Bacillus Thuringiensis (forexample by the genes CryIA(a), CryIA(b), CryIA(c), CryIIA, CryIIIA,CryIIIIB2, Cry9c, Cry2Ab, Cry3Bb and CryIF and also combinationsthereof) (hereinbelow referred to as “Bt plants”). Traits which are alsoparticularly emphasized are the increased defense of plants againstfungi, bacteria and viruses by systemic acquired resistance (SAR),systemin, phytoalexins, elicitors and resistance genes and thecorrespondingly expressed proteins and toxins. Traits that arefurthermore particularly emphasized are the increased tolerance of theplants to certain herbicidal active substances, for exampleimidazolinones, sulfonylureas, glyphosates or phosphinothricin (forexample the “PAT” gene). The genes which impart the desired traits inquestion can also be present in combinations with one another in thetransgenic plants. Examples of “Bt plants” which may be mentioned aremaize varieties, cotton varieties, soybean varieties and potatovarieties which are sold under the trade names YIELD GARD® (for examplemaize, cotton, soybeans), KnockOut® (for example maize), StarLink® (forexample maize), Bollgard® (cotton), Nucotn® (cotton) and NewLeaf®(potato). Examples of herbicide-tolerant plants which may be mentionedare maize varieties, cotton varieties and soybean varieties which aresold under the trade names Roundup Ready® (tolerance to glyphosates, forexample maize, cotton, soybeans), Liberty Link® (tolerance tophosphinothricin, for example oilseed rape), IMI® (tolerance toimidazolinones) and STS® (tolerance to sulfonylureas, for examplemaize). Herbicide-resistant plants (plants bred in a conventional mannerfor herbicide tolerance) which may be mentioned also include thevarieties sold under the name Clearfield® (for example maize). Ofcourse, these statements also apply to plant varieties having thesegenetic traits or genetic traits which will be developed in the future,which varieties will be developed and/or marketed in the future.

The active substance combinations can be converted into the customaryformulations, such as solutions, emulsions, wettable powders,suspensions, powders, dusts, pastes, soluble powders, granules,suspoemulsion concentrates, natural materials impregnated with activesubstances, synthetic materials impregnated with active substances andmicroencapsulations in polymeric materials.

These formulations are produced in a known manner, for example by mixingthe active substance with extenders, that is, liquid solvents and/orsolid carriers, optionally with the use of surface-active agents, thatis, emulsifiers and/or dispersants and/or foam formers.

Suitable extenders are, for example, water, polar and unpolar organicchemical fluids, for example from the classes of the aromatic andnonaromatic hydrocarbons (such as paraffins, alkylbenzenes,alkylnaphthalenes, chlorobenzenes), of the alcohols and polyols (whichmay optionally also be substituted, etherified and/or esterified), ofthe ketones (such as acetone, cyclohexanone), esters (also fats andoils) and (poly)ethers, of the unsubstituted and substituted amines,amides, lactams (such as N-alkylpyrrolidones) and lactones, of thesulfones and sulfoxides (such as dimethyl sulfoxide).

If water is used as extender, auxiliary solvents which can also be usedare, for example, organic solvents. As liquid solvents, there aresuitable in the main: aromatics, such as xylene, toluene oralkylnaphthalenes, chlorinated aromatics or chlorinated aliphatichydrocarbons, such as chlorobenzenes, chloroethylenes or methylenechloride, aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as cyclohexane or paraffins, forexample mineral oil fractions, mineral and vegetable oils, alcohols,such as butanol or glycol and ethers and esters thereof, ketones, suchas acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone orcyclohexanone, strongly polar solvents, such as dimethylformamide anddimethyl sulfoxide, and water.

As solid carriers there are suitable:

for example ammonium salts and ground natural minerals, such as kaolins,clays, talc, chalk, quartz, attapulgite, montmorillonite or diatomaceousearth, and ground synthetic minerals, such as highly disperse silica,alumina and silicates; as solid carriers for granules there aresuitable: for example crushed and fractionated natural rocks such ascalcite, marble, pumice, sepiolite and dolomite, and synthetic granulesof inorganic and organic meals, and granules of organic material such assawdust, coconut shells, maize cobs and tobacco stalks; as emulsifiersand/or foam formers there are suitable: for example nonionic and anionicemulsifiers, such as polyoxyethylene fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylenefatty alcohol ethers, for example alkylaryl polyglycol ethers,alkylsulfonates, alkyl sulfates, arylsulfonates and proteinhydrolysates; as dispersants there are suitable: for examplelignosulfite waste liquors and methylcellulose.

Adhesives such as carboxymethylcellulose and natural and syntheticpolymers in the form of powders, granules or latices, such as gumarabic, polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinyl acetate, and naturalphospholipids, such as cephalins and lecithins, and syntheticphospholipids can be used in the formulations. Further additives may bemineral and vegetable oils.

It is possible to use colorants such as inorganic pigments, for exampleiron oxide, titanium oxide and Prussian Blue, and organic dyestuffs,such as alizarin dyestuffs, azo dyestuffs and metal phthalocyaninedyestuffs, and trace nutrients such as salts of iron, manganese, boron,copper, cobalt, molybdenum and zinc.

The formulations in general comprise between 0.1 and 95% by weight ofactive substance, preferably between 0.5 and 90% and also, preferably,extenders and/or surface-active agents.

The active substance content of the use forms prepared from thecommercially available formulations may vary within wide limits. Theactive substance concentration of the use forms can be from 0.0000001 upto 95% by weight of active substance, preferably between 0.0001 and 1%by weight.

The application is effected in a customary manner adapted to suit theuse forms.

The plants mentioned can be treated particularly advantageously inaccordance with the invention using the active substance mixtureaccording to the invention. The preferred ranges indicated above for themixtures also apply to the treatment of these plants. The treatment ofplants with the mixtures specifically mentioned in the present textshould be especially emphasized.

The good insecticidal activity of the active substance combinationsaccording to the invention can be seen from the examples which follow.While the individual active substances show weaknesses in theiractivity, the combinations show an activity which exceeds a simpleadditive effect.

A synergistic effect in insecticides is always present when the activityof the active substance combinations exceeds the sum of the activitiesof the active substances applied individually.

The expected activity for a given combination of two active substancescan be calculated as described by S. R. Colby, Weeds 15 (1967), 20-22,as follows:

If

-   -   X is the kill efficiency expressed in % of the untreated control        when using active substance A at an application rate of m g/ha        or a concentration of m ppm,    -   Y is the kill efficiency expressed in % of the untreated control        when using active substance B at an application rate of n g/ha        or a concentration of n ppm, and    -   E is the kill efficiency expressed in % of the untreated control        when using active substances A and B at application rates of m        and n g/ha or a concentration of m and n ppm,

then

$E = {X + Y - \frac{X \cdot Y}{100}}$

If the actual insecticidal kill efficiency is greater than calculated,then the combination is superadditive in its kill efficiency, i.e. asynergistic effect is present. In this case, the kill efficiencyactually observed must be greater than the value for the expected killefficiency (E) calculated with the abovementioned formula.

After the desired period of time, the kill efficiency is determined in%. Here, 100% means that all animals have been killed; 0% means that noanimals have been killed.

USE EXAMPLES

Stink Bugs (Pentatomidae)

Very especially preferred is the control of the following species fromthe stink bug family (Pentatomidae)

Antestiopsis orbitalus in soybeans Dichelops furcatus in maize, soybeansand cereals Dichelops melacanthus Eurygaster intergriceps in cerealsEurygaster maura Euschistus heros in cotton, rice and soybeansEuschistus servus Nezara hilare in cereals, cotton, soybeans and riceNezara viridula Oebalus mexicana in rice and cereals Oebalus poecilusOebalus pugnase Piezodorus guildinii in soybeans, rice and cottonScotinophara lurida in rice Scotinophara coaretata

Example 1

Plots approximately 58 m² in size and planted with soybean plants(Glycine max) cv. “BRS232” (growth stage 75) are treated in threereplications against the brown stink bug (Euschistus heros), using apneumatic sprayer. A mixture of the active substance (1-2) andimidacloprid (SC 480) is applied in comparison with the active substance(I-2) (SC 240) on its own and imidacloprid (SC 200) on its own at theapplication rates specified, as a tank mix with 0.1% a.i. methylatedsoya oil (EC 850). Methamidophos (SL 600) was tested concomitantly ascommercially available standard. The water application rate is 200 l/ha.The evaluation is performed 14 days after the treatment by determiningthe kill efficiency of the nymphs.

Kill efficiency Application rate as calculated by Active substance ga.i./ha Abbott (%) 14 d Imidacloprid 72 21 Active substance (I-2) 24 33Imidacloprid + 72 + 24 70 Active substance (I-2) Calculated usingColby's 47.1 formula: Methamidophos 480  27

Example 2

Plots approximately 1 m² in size, provided with cages and planted withsoybean plants (Glycine max) cv. “CO-32” are treated in fourreplications against the red-banded stink bug (Piezodorus guildinii)using a pneumatically operated backpack sprayer. A mixture of the activesubstance (I-2) and imidacloprid (SC 480) is applied in comparison withthe active substance (I-2) (SC 240) on its own and imidacloprid (SC 200)on its own at the application rates specified, as a tank mix with 0.1%a.i. methylated soya oil (EC 850). Methamidophos (SL 600) was testedconcomitantly as commercially available standard. The water applicationrate is 300 l/ha. The evaluation is performed 1 and 3 days after thetreatment by determining the kill efficiency of the adults.

Kill efficiency Application as calculated rate by Abbott (%) Activesubstance g a.i./ha 1 d 3 d Imidacloprid 70 65 65 Active substance (I-2)24 0  27.5 Imidacloprid + 72 + 24 90 90 Active substance (I-2)Calculated using Colby's 65 74.6 formula: Methamidophos 480  52.5 87.5

We claim:
 1. A method for controlling insects from the stink bug family (Pentatomidae), comprising treating a plant, its parts, its environment, its habitat or its store with an active substance combination comprising a compound of formula (I-2)

and imidacloprid, wherein said plant, its parts, its environment, its habitat or its store contains insects from the stink bug family.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the plant is selected from the group consisting of a maize plant, a rice plant, a soybean plant, a cotton plant or a cereal plant.
 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the plant is a soybean plant.
 4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the plant is a maize plant.
 5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the plant is a rice plant.
 6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the plant is a cotton plant.
 7. The method according to claim 2, wherein the plant is a cereal plant. 